The Relationship Between Positive Religious Perfectionism and Psychological Adjustment in Türkiye: Serial Mediating...

This study examines the role of Positive Religious Perfectionism (PRP) in enhancing psychological adjustment through its relationships with anxiety, resilience, and life satisfaction. Based on data collected from 595 participants, the structural relationships among these psychological constructs were investigated. Correlational analyses revealed that PRP was positively associated with psychological adjustment (r = .23, p < .05), resilience (r = .27, p < .05), and life satisfaction (r = .34, p < .05) and negatively associated with anxiety (r = - .17, p < .05). Anxiety showed a strong negative correlation with psychological adjustment (r = - .49, p < .05) and a moderate negative correlation with both resilience (r = - .45, p < .05) and life satisfaction (r = - .25, p < .05). Consistent with these findings, PRP was found to reduce anxiety, which in turn increased resilience and life satisfaction, and ultimately improved psychological adjustment (H3). Additionally, life satisfaction was a significant mediator in both the direct and indirect paths between PRP and psychological adjustment (H2). From an Islamic perspective, religious perfectionism, which is based on positive spiritual striving, reflects the concept of ihsan-the pursuit of perfection and intimacy in one's relationship with God. This inner striving promotes emotional balance and inner peace, fostering adaptive coping in the face of life's challenges. The findings suggest that individuals who perceive their religious perfectionism as a source of meaning and spiritual discipline, rather than a rigid or punitive experience, exhibit better emotional regulation, higher life satisfaction, and more significant psychological adjustment. These results contribute to a growing literature emphasising the constructive psychological functions of religious and spiritual orientations, particularly in culturally and religiously embedded contexts.